Scientists Take Inventory Of Birch Mountains Wildland

EDMONTON - The discovery of a provincially rare quillwort (aquatic plant) adds another important natural feature to be recorded in the biological inventory of Birch Mountains Wildland Provincial Park. Provincially significant peatlands, a provincially significant California Gull colony and one of Canada's only free roaming Wood Bison herds outside of Wood Buffalo National Park have also been documented.

The finding was made by a member of a team of 16 scientists from Alberta Community Development, the University of Alberta, the University of Calgary and Natural Resources Canada who are inventorying the living and non-living components of Birch Mountains Wildland Provincial Park. The 1,500 square kilometer park is located 90 km northwest of Fort McMurray.

Designated on November 28, 2000 under the Special Places program, Birch Mountains is part of a larger network of protected areas that represent the six natural regions in the province. Special Places was an Alberta government initiative to secure and protect representative examples of each of the natural regions. The definition of each natural region is determined from identifying the dominant climatic, geologic, plant, and animal elements found within them. About three times the size of the City of Edmonton, Birch Mountains Wildland is located in the Boreal Forest Natural Region.

Alberta Community Development made a commitment following the conclusion of Special Places in 2001 to develop management plans that outline a long-term vision and day-to-day guidance for stewardship of the province's protected areas. Since this inventory program began, research teams have traveled to Richardson River Dunes Wildland Provincial Park (2000), Maybelle River Wildland Provincial Park (2000), Athabasca Dunes Ecological Reserve (2000), Marguerite River Wildland Provincial Park (2000), La Butte Creek Wildland Provincial Park (2001), Fidler-Greywillow Wildland Provincial Park (2001), Colin-Cornwall Lakes Wildland Provincial Park (2002) and Caribou Mountains Wildland Provincial Park (2003).

New plants, birds and insects are discovered almost every year in these research camps, some of which are not only provincially significant, but also nationally or internationally significant. A few interesting findings from the biophysicals include:

* Maybelle River - 2000: A total of 167 species of moths and butterflies were recorded in the region including three macro-moths new to Alberta. In addition, it was discovered that a few ponds in the wildland are home to the only Alberta populations of watershield (aquatic plant).

* Colin-Cornwall Lakes - 2002: Provincally rare birds that were not expected to inhabit the area were discovered nesting on Colin Lake (mew gull and semipalmated plover).

For more information about Alberta's parks, call 780-427-3582 (toll-free 1-866-427-3582) 8:15 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday to Friday, or visit our web site at www.cd.gov.ab.ca/parks.

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For further information:

Cheryl Robb
Communications
Alberta Community Development
(780) 427-6530